


Of wolves and ghosts

by OctoRabbit (FeralFighter)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M, Mentions of animal attacks, Spirits, Superstitions, Wolf Shiro (Voltron), Wolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-19
Updated: 2019-01-31
Packaged: 2019-09-22 20:03:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17066204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeralFighter/pseuds/OctoRabbit
Summary: “Careful what you wish for filthy human, poetic justice can be a cruel thing.”~~~~Sometimes its wise to listen to the village people who tell you not to go into the woods





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Had this written a few months ago and totally forgot to post it here lol. There's also some art to go with this but codes absolutely hate me and refuse to ever work in the past orz

Shiro shivered as an icy gust of wind blew against him as pressed forward. Fresh snow crunching under his boot as he followed the fresh paw prints through the now bare trees that creaked and swayed in the wind.

“Where are you, you filthy mongrel.” He murmured lowly, eyes darting around for immediate danger.

A snap triggered his instinct, gun up and at the ready as he twisted to the direction of the noise, nothing but a newly snapped off branch laid in the snow before him. With a sigh Shiro relaxed and lowered his weapon, shaking his head at himself.

“Nothing to worry about, it's just myths and old wives tales. Ghosts aren't real.” Shiro told himself.

He pursued, following the tracks through the supposedly haunted woods. There were many tales about dark, evil beings living in the forest for over a century in Shiro's growing village. No one dared wander beyond the outskirts of the forest, those who did either went missing or were found dead. Many claimed to be the work of the forest's guardian spirit; Shiro didn't believe in silly superstitions, those whose bodies were returned looked like the doings of violent wolf attacks, or by some other large, aggressive animal.

Shiro had never ventured into the forest, his childhood filled with superstitious fear mongering from his parents and the village people, soon learning that the forest homed many dangerous beasts as he got older. Still he felt no desire until now thanks to one lone wolf who had been killing his flock, he had lost too many ewes in the last few weeks to the mutt, so best to remove the problem than let it persist.

The wolf tracks eventually lead him to a small clearing, the prints continuing on ahead. As Shiro stepped forward he took notice of a bright red form crouched over at a tree, a stark contrast against the bleak, dull scenery. Shiro stared dumbfounded, not expecting to find another person so deep in the woods.

“Hey! Excuse me, are you alright?” Shiro called out.

Back still towards him, the figure was slow to stand. Shiro took notice of the large coat that hung from the person's form, tattered and torn at the bottom hem and sleeves. What was really brow raising was the fact this stranger was crazy enough to be out in the snow with no shoes, the discolouration of their feet and blatant frostbitten fingers was physically painful to witness.

“Wh-What are you doing out here like that, are you cr-”

A loud snarl cut Shiro off as an enormous wolf, much bigger from the one he was hunting crept out of the shadows of the trees. Shiro's eyes widened his heart thumping hard in his chest as the wolf walked closer to the hooded figure. Blood rushing through his ears, Shiro raised his gun and took aim, ready to fire and protect the stranger.

At least he intended to until the stranger raised their hand, the beast nuzzled its snout into their palm and blackened fingers that scratched its scalp before laying in the snow, eerie yellow eyes staring straight at Shiro as he lowered his gun.

Finally the figure turned and Shiro felt like he forgot how to breathe. Cool pale skin, inky black hair framing their soft face, dark violet eyes with a haunting quality that made Shiro shiver. There was an ethereal beauty to this person, as if not truly human that captivated Shiro's attention that he couldn't look away.

He was too late to realize the danger until he was knocked to the ground, gun flying out of his hand as a wolf bit mercilessly into his arm. Shiro let out a shocked, pained cry, only to scream more as another wolf leaped from the trees and snapped at his face.

More wolves seemingly appeared from nowhere, all snarling and having a piece of the man screaming and trying desperately to fight off the rabid beasts.

‘I'm going to die!’ screamed like a mantra in Shiro's head in his feeble efforts. The fight was tiresome, the pain unlike anything he'd ever experienced, though his panic did not blind him from knowing something was definitely wrong with his right arm that two wolves were ripping their powerful jaws into with vigor.

Eventually Shiro lost the will to fight, exhaustion washed over him, his vision becoming hazy.

The wolves picked up on the lack of resistance, ceasing their attack and made way for the red figure who stepped closer towards Shiro's mutilated form. Through his exhausted and blood loss delirium, Shiro could have sworn the figure left no footprint in the snow.

“P-please… help.” Shiro croaked, tasting coppery blood fill his mouth.

“Pathetic.” The red figure spoke with a sneer, the voice unmistakably male.

“I don't… wan- die...”

The man loomed over Shiro, expression completely void of emotion as he looked him dead in the eye; Shiro doing his best to stay conscious with his hazy vision. 

“Careful what you wish for filthy human, poetic justice can be a cruel thing.” was the last thing Shiro heard as he let out a confused groan before his vision faded, and his mind drifted to nothingness.


	2. Chapter 2

He didn't know where he was, the darkness was so thick not even his gas lantern could cut through as he walked aimlessly through the snow he could hear crunching under his feet. It was dead silent yet he could feel a strong frigid breeze, causing Shiro to shiver and clutch his jacket in a futile effort to block the chill that echoed through his bones. 

A howl pierced through the silence; Shiro's heart thumped hard in his chest, he turned on high alert to find the source. Something bright shone through the darkness, something far away that left Shiro in awe.

A second howl cried out, a new glimmering light appeared. Another howl, another light. 

Soon a symphony of wolf howls crescendoed, it was hauntingly beautiful to Shiro's ears and eyes as the wolves sang and more bright lights appeared in obscure constellations before him in the inky vastness of the night.

A loud snarl from behind Shiro ceased the wolves song. Dread coursed through Shiro's veins, his breath stuttered as he mustered the courage to turn around.

The wolf was stunning; a celestial creature radiating blinding light from its pure white coat with piercing golden eyes staring back at him that made Shiro forget how to breathe.

With another vicious snarl the wolf lunged. Shiro was too slow to react as it made contact with his chest and---

Shiro woke with a start, gasping for breath in a panic as he sat upright. Manic eyes darting around the unfamiliar place; A cave. How on earth did he end up in a cave?

Gulping down some deep breaths he eventually settled from his dream, albeit slightly light headed. His throat is dry, not even his saliva could sate it, and he rubbed his hand over his face and through his hair.

Wait… hand - singular ??

Removing his hand from his head, he placed it in front of him. With a newfound dread he dared to look and notices what he was fearing.

His right arm is gone, nothing but a stump from his shoulder.

He doesn't have the opportunity to fully react when another presence made itself known.

“Ah you wake.” 

Shiro turns his shakey head to be greeted by the red hooded figure from the forest who has his gun in hand, looking at his weapon in curiosity, though handling it so carelessly to a dangerous degree.

“Tell me human, what are these strange booming sticks?”

“C-careful!” Shiro croaks, realizing just how dry and sore his throat is. “That gun's dangerous.”

The figure in red scowls at his words, clearly offended. “You think we don't know how dangerous this ‘gun’ is? These monstrosities have killed many of our friends by your callous hands.”

“What?” Shiro asks dumbly, he's heard no news of people in the area being shot.

The figure, which Shiro has now identified as male has gotten angrier. “The wolves, the deer, the bears, the foxes, the rabbits, and all the woodland creatures. You cruel greedy humans just kill for no reason, and take more than you need.”

Shiro frowns, confused by what the man said. Friends with dangerous woodland creatures? Calling him human? And with the way he spoke, there were more out here? Was there a secret village hidden deep within this forest no one knows about?

The red hooded figure snorts in irritation as he sat the gun down, then rose to his feet to walk closer to Shiro and inspected him with cold eyes.

“You should be grateful we bothered to heed your pathetic pleas. Your wounds seemed to have healed nicely, though your arm was quite a hefty price.”

“Who are you?” Shiro dares to ask, his left hand instinctively goes to cover the stump at his shoulder.

“Who do you ask, the body, or it's inhabitant?” the man answers wryly.

Shiro had no idea how to respond to that, in fact he was starting to think this little punk was crazy, especially when he gave Shiro a very twisted smirk.

“You humans certainly can be amusing when you can't comprehend such simple things. We wouldn't dare take on a human form if it weren't for circumstances… we go by Yorak, or Keith.”

“Yorak.” Shiro repeats to himself quietly. He's heard that name in local folklore as a child; a malevolent spirit who dwelled deep within the woods who would devour the souls of anyone who dared enter. “You can't possibly expect me to believe that you're a spirit from some myth, who are you really?”

“You impudent welp!” Yorak/Keith growled as he raised his hand and flicked his wrist. A gale wind from inside the cave blew, dragging Shiro's body across the floor til he was knocked out of the cave and crashed into fresh snow.

Shiro was in disbelief, the cave was shallow, there was nothing else here to cause such a gust. When he looked back, the red hooded man was looming over him, Shiro taking notice once again of lack of footprints in the snow.

“You will only refer to us as Keith for your insolence.” Keith sneered, but there’s a particular glint in his eye that made Shiro particularly unsettled.

Shiro tries to pick himself up, only to find he was unable to stand without tumbling back down.

Wiping the snow from his face he felt something was off with his only hand, looking back down he saw pure white fur and a paw where his once human hand was only seconds ago. Looking further down was more fur as well as legs definitely not fitted for a human and a thick tail.

If he wasn't already in disbelief, he definitely is now. “What?...W-what have you done to me?!”

A light chuckle escaped Keith. “You begged me to save you so I did, but you also raised your weapon at Kosmo and intended to kill his kin. Do you honestly expect me to not reap some form of justice? What better way than to make you become the very thing you intended to kill.”

Shiro's heart raced hard against his chest and suddenly felt ill. In a panic he tries to get back up only to fumble again, getting back up and continues to tumble till catching his feet and makes a dash through the trees, desperate to get away from Keith.

He didn't know where he was going, but continues to run as far as his three legs would take him until he was sure Keith was long gone before he stopped to catch his breath. Unfortunately his respite barely started when a snarl erupts from the bushes, and comes face to face with 3 other wolves; growling, teeth bared, and circling him like prey, ready to pounce.

‘So this is it.’ Shiro concedes. With all this madness he doesn't have it in him to fight back.

Before any of the wolves could strike, another, much louder snarl pierces through, silencing the pack who halt in their tracks. The giant wolf from when he met Keith stalks out of the trees, head held high and asserting its alpha dominance. With a bark, the three lower their heads and back away, leaving Shiro to face the great beast.

The wolf stood tall, circling, sniffing, and studying Shiro with its black and gold eyes as Shiro stood frozen in place. Something inside Shiro told him that this was no ordinary wolf.

With a huff the wolf steps away, looking at Shiro and jerks his head to tell him to follow. Shiro stood rooted to his spot, the great beast growls and jerks his head again, clearly growing impatient. Being smart enough to not anger the alpha, Shiro hobbles after him on shaky legs, though still very much on edge as the other three trail behind him.

All he could hope for now is that this would mean safety and protection from the madman in red.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've kinda had this au running in my head again lately so felt inclined to write more
> 
> Follow me on  
> Tumblr - @Octorabbit  
> Twitter - @Octo_Rabbit  
> Instagran - @ Octo_Rabbit

**Author's Note:**

> This is currently just a one shot atm, though I do have a lot of ideas with this so //shrugs// we'll see how it goes
> 
> Follow me on  
> Tumblr - @Octorabbit  
> Twitter - @Octo_Rabbit  
> Instagram - @Octo_rabbit


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